2021 Countdown to Kickoff: 47 Days (Micah McFadden)

Written by: Nate Comp (@NathanComp1)

The Hoosier Huddle countdown to kickoff is over halfway complete! Forty-seven days remain until Indiana’s first game of the season against Iowa in Kinnick Stadium. Today, we will highlight a star of the Hoosier defense, linebacker Micah McFadden.

Micah McFadden (Senior)

Hometown: Tampa, Florida

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 232 Pounds

Position: Linebacker

As just a three-star recruit and ranked as the 139th best linebacker in his class by 247Sports, the Micah McFadden recruitment was questioned as to whether or not he could be productive in the Big Ten. Those doubts were silenced immediately when he stepped foot on campus, as McFadden has emerged as one of the best linebackers in the nation entering the 2021 season. The team captain earned second team All-American honors by Phil Steele and third-team All-American honors by the Associated Press at the conclusion of last year. He opted to come back and will once again serve as an anchor on the Hoosier front seven.

Entering this year, McFadden has already been named a Walter Camp Football Foundation Preseason All-American, one of just six linebackers in the country to earn such honors. He brings 33 games of experience and 139 total tackles worth of production back, having led the team in tackles the last two seasons. McFadden became the first Hoosier to lead the Big Ten in sacks (6) last season since Greg Middleton in 2007. He was second in the conference in solo stops (44) while also adding 2 interceptions and 2 passes defended. Perhaps McFadden’s greatest quality, however, is his ability to take his game to the next level in the biggest moments. His best two games last year came against top-10 opponents Penn State and Ohio State. He finished with a game-high and career-best 11 solo tackles against Penn State, and 10 solo tackles plus a tackle for loss against the Buckeyes.

For McFadden entering this season, it’s all about seeing if he can once again raise his level of production. He has drastically improved in each of his first three seasons and taking another step up will only add more potency to an Indiana defense that led the Big Ten in sacks (25) and interceptions (17) last season. The coaching staff has been happy with his production in the offseason, as McFadden (along with Ryder Anderson) was named Most Outstanding Defensive player in spring practice by Coach Allen and new defensive coordinator Charlton Warren, along with winning a spring practice award for his work in the weight room by strength and conditioning coach Aaron Wellman.